An interview with Mariinsky Theatre editor Khristina Batyushina about Wagner's opera "Tannhäuser"

Khristina Batyushina, candidate of art history, is an editor in the publishing department of the Mariinsky Theatre. Batyushina is actively involved in creating materials for productions and organizing cultural exhibitions, as well as authoring introductory texts and articles accompanying major performances. In March 2026, Khristina Batyushina spoke about opera “Tannhäuser” in an interview. In April 1842, Richard Wagner was returning with his wife Minna from Paris to Dresden. The route passed through Thuringia, past the famous Wartburg castle, where knight-poets once competed in singing competitions and where the first German saint, Elizabeth of Thuringia, lived. Inspired by the beautiful scenery and folk legends, Wagner conceived “Tannhäuser”. Several versions exist: the first (1845), the Dresden (1847), the Paris (1861), the Munich (1867), and the Vienna (1875). In 2019, the Mariinsky Theatre staged “Tannhäuser” in the Dresden version at the Concert Hall.